The Snow Leopard (Uncia uncia) is an iconic great wild cat inhabiting mountain terrains in Afghanistan, Bhutan, China, India, Kazakhstan, the Kyrgyz Republic, Mongolia, Nepal, Pakistan, the Russian Federation, Tajikistan, and Uzbekistan with core areas including the Altai, Tian Shan, Kun Lun, Pamir, Hindu Kush, Karakorum and Himalayan ranges. The estimated global population of Snow Leopards is as few as 4,500 – 6,000 animals. It is a largely solitary animal that lives at low to very low densities and requires large ranges in the mountains at elevations from 540 to more than 5,000 metres above sea level. Designated protected areas, even though an important conservation mechanism, are often too small to cover significant part of the large areas occupied by the Snow Leopard and do not allow to achieve the conservation of viable populations. Thus, concerted landscape-wide measures are necessary to ensure the survival of the species’ populations. Furthermore, up to one third of the known Snow Leopard population might have a range located less than 50 – 100 km from the international borders of 12 range countries. Therefore, strengthening of transboundary collaboration is particularly important for the conservation of the Snow Leopard.

Major threats to the Snow Leopard include habitat loss and degradation resulting among other negative effects in the depletion of prey base, poaching, and conflict with local human populations due to the killing of livestock. Poaching and illegal trade were most severe in the former Soviet Republics in the 1990s due to the harsh economic conditions. While the situation has improved there, the illegal trade is likely to continue in large parts of the Snow Leopard range given growing demand for its derivatives.Conservation of the species is also a challenge because there is limited knowledge about its population and often inadequate conservation, policy and management capacities.

Photo credit: Snow Leopard Conservancy

Conservation

Recognizing existing threats, CMS Parties listed the Snow Leopard under Appendix I in 1986, requiring from Range States a strict protection of this species. Furthermore, the Snow Leopard is covered by the Recommendation 9.3. Tigers and Other Asian Big Cats that calls range states to enhance mutual transboundary cooperation for the conservation and management of tigers and other Asian big cat species throughout their range and potential donor countries to provide or increase financial support for conservation of Asian big cat species. It is also designated by the COP11 Resolution 11.13 for concerted actions during 2015 – 2017. Additionally, the CMS Central Asian Mammals Initiative (CAMI) covers 14 countries and 15 species, including the Snow Leopard and its prey species, the Argali, aiming to provide a coherent framework for the conservation of migrating animals. The CAMI Programme of Work (PoW) and Resolution were adopted in 2014 at the 11th CMS COP. The activities for Snow Leopards and Argali inhabiting similar mountain ecosystems are proposed to align to conservation efforts under a Global Snow Leopard and Ecosystem Protection Program (GSLEP). GSLEP was initiated by the Kyrgyz Government with support of the World Bank’s Global Tiger Initiative and joined together representatives of all 12 Range States, non-governmental organizations, inter-governmental organizations, local communities and the private sector. The programme aims to secure long-term survival of the Snow Leopard in its natural ecosystem through ensuring landscape-level transboundary conservation.

The Snow Leopard is currently listed in the IUCN Red List as globally endangered. The Snow Leopard is also included in CITES Appendix I which prohibits international trade in the animal and its parts and products except under exceptional, non-commercial circumstances.

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